My Taoist buddy has practiced surrogacy

Chapter 1418 Jealousy
But seeing Zhou Xing's sincere eyes, she nodded: "Since you like it, young master, please take it."

Zhou Xing was overjoyed. He took out some silver coins from his pocket and handed them to Ling Xue, only to find that she only accepted a few copper coins. He was somewhat surprised, but didn't say anything more. After bidding farewell to Ling Xue, he left with the brocade embroidered with twin lotus flowers.

After Zhou Xing brought the brocade home, his mother saw the embroidery and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She secretly sent someone to investigate the origin of the brocade, and when she learned that it was embroidered by Ling Xue, she had an idea.

It turned out that the Zhou family was related to the royal family by marriage. Now that the prince was about to choose a consort, Zhou's mother wanted to use Ling Xue to embroider wedding robes for the royal family in order to curry favor with them. So, she ordered her steward to take generous betrothal gifts to Ling Xue's house to propose marriage and have Ling Xue become Zhou Xing's embroiderer.

In Ling Xue's family, her father had passed away early, her mother was frail and sickly, and her younger brother was still young. Faced with the betrothal gifts sent by the Zhou family and the pressure from the steward, Ling Xue had no choice but to agree.

After entering the Zhou family, Ling Xue spent her days in the embroidery room embroidering wedding robes for the royal family. She was meticulous and skilled, producing exquisite robes. However, her talent aroused the jealousy of the Zhou family's concubines.

One night, Ling Xue was busy making a phoenix crown in her embroidery room as usual. Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and Zhou's concubine, accompanied by a group of maids, burst in. Without a word, they poured the prepared poisoned wine into Ling Xue's mouth.

Ling Xue felt a wave of dizziness and her vision went black. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, Zhou Xing arrived in time. He saw Ling Xue being forced to drink poisoned wine and was furious, kicking over the bowl of medicine.

"What are you doing? She works wholeheartedly for the Zhou family, and you are so cruel!" Zhou Xing said angrily.

Seeing Zhou Xing's anger, Zhou's concubine was somewhat frightened, but she still stubbornly said, "I'm just afraid she'll ruin Zhou's good plans."

Zhou Xing ignored them, picked up Ling Xue, and quickly found a doctor to treat her. After some emergency treatment, Ling Xue was finally out of danger.

This incident deepened Zhou Xing's feelings for Ling Xue. He knew that Ling Xue could face danger at any time within the Zhou family. Therefore, he decided to take Ling Xue away.

One night, a torrential downpour began. Zhou Xing secretly sneaked into Ling Xue's room, took her hand, and said, "Ling Xue, it's too dangerous here. Let's leave."

Looking into Zhou Xing's determined eyes, Ling Xue felt a surge of emotion. She nodded, "Okay, I'll go with you."

Under the cover of night, the two escaped from the Zhou family's residence. They ran frantically until they reached the ferry crossing. By then, their pursuers were closing in. In a moment of quick thinking, Zhou Xing took out his jade pendant and traded it for a fishing boat.

The two boarded a fishing boat and headed into the river. However, their pursuers had no intention of letting them go; they fired arrows from the shore at the fishing boat. Seeing this, Ling Xue didn't hesitate to grab an oar and shield Zhou Xing from the arrows.

An arrow struck Ling Xue in the shoulder, staining her clothes with blood. Zhou Xing, seeing Ling Xue injured, was filled with guilt and anger. He held Ling Xue's hand tightly, vowing to protect her.

The small boat tossed and turned in the river, eventually shaking off its pursuers. However, Ling Xue developed a high fever due to excessive blood loss and being caught in the rain. Her body was burning hot, and she was incoherently talking nonsense.

Zhou Xing felt heartbroken. He held Ling Xue in his arms, warming her with his own body heat. To replenish Ling Xue's energy, he cut off a piece of flesh from his waist, boiled it into soup, and fed it to her.

Under Zhou Xing's meticulous care, Ling Xue's fever finally subsided. Looking at Zhou Xing's tired face and thin figure, she was filled with gratitude.

After some travel, Zhou Xing and Ling Xue arrived at a deserted village. They found a dilapidated house in the village and settled down temporarily.

Zhou Xing decided to go into the mountains to gather herbs to help Ling Xue recover. He carried a bamboo basket and braved the wind and rain to enter the mountains. While gathering herbs, he accidentally fell off a cliff. Fortunately, he was agile and grabbed a tree branch, thus avoiding serious injury.

Despite his injuries, Zhou Xing gathered some herbs and struggled to climb back up. It was late at night when he returned to the village. He saw Ling Xue anxiously waiting for him in the house, and his heart warmed.

Ling Xue was heartbroken to see Zhou Xing injured. She carefully treated his wounds, and then, using her skills as a washerwoman, crushed some herbs and applied them to his wounds.

During their time in the deserted village, the two supported each other, and their feelings for each other deepened. Zhou Xing taught Ling Xue to read, while Ling Xue patiently taught Zhou Xing to identify the patterns on the brocade. Although their time together was difficult, it was filled with warmth and joy.

One day, Ling Xue discovered some special herbs in the village. A brilliant idea struck her: she used these herbs to create a unique color—Sky Blue. This color was vibrant and refreshing, as if imbued with the spirit of nature.

As time went by, Zhou Xing and Ling Xue's lives gradually stabilized. However, they knew that one day they would have to face the Zhou family and the royal family.

At this moment, news arrived from the palace that the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet was about to be held, requiring a large quantity of exquisite cloud brocade. Zhou Xing and Ling Xue saw this as an opportunity and decided to return to the Cloud Kingdom.

After returning to the Cloud Kingdom, they used Ling Xue's exquisite craftsmanship and unique Tian Shui Bi dyeing technique to create batches of beautiful cloud brocade. These cloud brocades caused a sensation as soon as they were exhibited on the market.

Soon, their work reached the Empress Dowager's ears. The Empress Dowager greatly admired their brocade and ordered them to provide all the brocade for the birthday banquet.

At the birthday banquet, the brocade designed by Ling Xue and Zhou Xing became the focus of attention. The gorgeous costumes and exquisite embroidery amazed everyone. In particular, the dress embroidered with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix was stunning.

The emperor was full of praise for the ceremonial robes and immediately betrothed Zhou Xing and Ling Xue. However, the emperor had other plans in mind. He secretly sent people to investigate Zhou Xing's identity and discovered that he might be a descendant of the previous dynasty.

On the day of the wedding, the palace was brightly decorated and bustling with activity. However, a conspiracy was quietly brewing.

The emperor dispatched the Imperial Guards to surround Zhou Xing and Ling Xue's residence. Zhou Xing knew that their identities had been exposed, and a life-or-death test was about to begin.

"Ling Xue, don't be afraid, I will protect you," Zhou Xing said, holding Ling Xue's hand tightly.

Looking into Zhou Xing's resolute eyes, Ling Xue felt a surge of courage. She retrieved the poisoned needles she had hidden in the room, preparing to fight the Imperial Guards to the death.

Just then, dark clouds suddenly filled the sky, and a strong wind arose. A torrential rain was imminent. Zhou Xing and Ling Xue seized the opportunity to break through the encirclement, running wildly until they reached the edge of a cliff.

The Imperial Guards pursued relentlessly, surrounding them completely. Zhou Xing and Ling Xue stood back to back, weapons in hand, their eyes fixed firmly on the enemy.

"Zhou Xing, I'm afraid we're in grave danger today," Ling Xue said. Zhou Xing smiled slightly: "With you by my side, I'm not afraid. What does death matter, as long as I can be with you?"

Just then, Ling Xue suddenly thought of an idea. She took out her treasured brocade cloak and unfolded it. Amazingly, the cloak shimmered with an unusual light in the sunlight, and the patterns on it seemed to come alive.

It turned out that the cloak was made by Ling Xue using a special method, and it concealed secrets of the previous dynasty. The light illuminated the entire cliff, and the Imperial Guards were taken aback by this sudden sight.

Zhou Xing and Ling Xue seized the opportunity to jump off the cliff. Fortunately, they survived. They drifted downstream and eventually reached a safe place.

Having survived this life-or-death ordeal, Zhou Xing and Ling Xue cherish each other even more. They decide to distance themselves from worldly strife and find a quiet place to spend the rest of their lives together.

Years later, in a small mountain village, people often saw a man and a woman washing clothes and farming together, living a simple and happy life. They were Zhou Xing and Ling Xue, and their love story continued to be told among the green hills and clear waters.

The mountains and forests on the border of Feng Kingdom were shrouded in mist, resembling a fairyland. Five-year-old Ling Xue, wrapped in a tattered brocade quilt, shivered in the forest. Her eyes were filled with fear and confusion, and she clutched half of a jade pendant engraved with the character "Ling" tightly in her hand.

Just then, Zhou Xing, the hunter's son, passed by carrying firewood. Seeing Ling Xue's appearance, he felt a pang of pity. As he approached, he noticed Ling Xue's hand was tightly clutching something, and curiously pried it open. There, on the jade pendant, was a clear tooth mark, and on Ling Xue's hand, were bloody scratches from a wolf's attack.

Zhou Xing felt sorry for Ling Xue and took her back to his home in the mountains. Ling Xue then stayed with the hunter's family.

Time flies, and the winter solstice, the day for worshipping the mountain god, has arrived in the blink of an eye. According to local custom, children will use hazelnut puzzles to pray for blessings. Zhou Xing and Ling Xue also participate.

Zhou Xing was skillful and quickly pieced together a beautiful pattern. Ling Xue, however, couldn't get it right no matter what she tried, and tears welled up in her eyes. Zhou Xing felt sorry for her and pushed his finished pattern to Ling Xue.

Ling Xue stopped crying and smiled, took off the straw headband she had made herself, and handed it to Zhou Xing: "Here, thank you." Zhou Xing smiled and took it, putting it on his head.

One stormy night, the wind howled, and the thatch on the roof was blown about wildly. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck and snapped the eaves. Zhou Xing quickly shielded Ling Xue with his body, his back scratched and bleeding from the thatch.

Ling Xue looked at Zhou Xing's injured back, her heart aching. She secretly took out a silk handkerchief she had always treasured and gently wiped Zhou Xing's wound. The bloodstains seeped into the gold thread on the handkerchief, appearing particularly glaring.

Days passed, and Ling Xue grew into a beautiful young woman, while Zhou Xing became increasingly handsome and dashing. However, a jade pendant shattered their peaceful life.

Once, Ling Xue used the jade pendant as a slingshot to hunt birds, and was spotted by someone from the Prime Minister's residence. The steward's face turned deathly pale upon seeing the pendant. He examined it closely and discovered that it was engraved with the Nine Phoenix Pattern, a design unique to the Phoenix Kingdom's royal family.

Soon, a blue-curtained carriage entered the forest and arrived at the hunter's courtyard. A graceful and elegant woman stepped out of the carriage; she was the Prime Minister's wife.

When the Prime Minister's wife saw Ling Xue, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes. She took out a cloak embroidered with gold thread, intending to give it to Ling Xue. However, Ling Xue stubbornly refused. She was used to the free life in the mountains and felt a sense of unfamiliarity and fear towards this sudden wealth.

Seeing this, Zhou Xing felt extremely distressed. He picked up his hunting knife and drew a deep line on the ground, saying to the people from the Prime Minister's residence, "Don't make things difficult for Ling Xue. She doesn't want to go to the Prime Minister's residence."

Just then, the guards fired a poisoned arrow, aiming directly at Zhou Xing. Upon seeing this, Ling Xue rushed forward without hesitation, shielding Zhou Xing from the poisoned arrow.

Ling Xue was struck by a poisoned arrow, and her condition was extremely critical. Zhou Xing was frantic with worry. He carried the unconscious Ling Xue on his back and, like a mad beast, smashed open the door of the mountain god temple.

The mountain god temple was dilapidated, but a hidden compartment behind the statue contained secret medicines from a previous dynasty. Zhou Xing didn't care about anything else; he found some potentially useful medicines inside. Using his hunter's knowledge, combined with the secret medicines, he began to heal Ling Xue's wounds.

To provide Ling Xue with better nutrition, Zhou Xing risked his life to hunt. He set a trap and caught a wild goat. When he cut open the goat's stomach, he found a letter written in blood. The contents of the letter shocked him; it turned out that Ling Xue was actually the real daughter of the Prime Minister's household who had been switched at birth.

On the night of the full moon, the poison in Ling Xue's body flared up, and she struggled in agony. Zhou Xing held her tightly, trying to give her warmth. Amidst the torment of pain, a golden phoenix birthmark appeared on Ling Xue's forehead.

Just then, the sound of armored pursuers came from outside the window. These pursuers were sent by the Prime Minister's residence; they wanted to take Ling Xue back to the mansion.

Zhou Xing knew he couldn't let the pursuers catch Ling Xue. He led Ling Xue to the edge of the cliff. The pursuers were getting closer and closer; they had nowhere to escape.

Zhou Xing drew his bow and arrows, severing the suspension bridge's ropes with three consecutive shots. Just as the bridge was about to collapse, Ling Xue grabbed the animal-skin whip at Zhou Xing's waist. The two were now suspended in mid-air, below which lay a bottomless abyss.

Above, the pursuers rained down arrows upon them like locusts. Zhou Xing shielded Ling Xue with his own body, his back riddled with arrows, making him look like a hedgehog.

Seeing Zhou Xing's pained expression, Ling Xue felt a surge of despair. She released her grip on the animal-skin whip and plunged into the deep pool. Watching her fall, Zhou Xing felt a pang of pain in his heart and followed suit, leaping into the pool.

The icy pool water allowed them to temporarily evade their pursuers. At the bottom of the pool, Ling Xue discovered an ice cave. The two hid inside and began to think of a way to escape.

Ling Xue used acupressure, a technique employed by the Prime Minister's secret guards, to expel the poison from Zhou Xing. Zhou Xing, in turn, used his hunting skills to peel birch bark and make a raft.

On the raft, Ling Xue drew a crooked phoenix on Zhou Xing's chest with charcoal. It was their unique mark.

After a difficult drift, Zhou Xing and Ling Xue finally escaped the whirlpool. They arrived at a market, where they encountered the Crown Prince, who was traveling incognito.

The Crown Prince saw Ling Xue and became suspicious of the phoenix birthmark on her forehead. Just then, the rebel army suddenly attacked, and a poisoned arrow was shot towards the Crown Prince. Ling Xue reacted quickly and caught the poisoned arrow with her bare hands.

The Crown Prince was deeply moved by Ling Xue's actions, and at the same time became even more certain that her identity was extraordinary. Soon after, Ling Xue was brought back to the Prime Minister's residence.

Upon learning that Ling Xue had returned to the Prime Minister's residence, Zhou Xing set up crossbows on the corner tower. He knew this was the best way to protect her. Inside the window, Ling Xue tied the straw rings they had exchanged—a token of their love—with embroidered thread.

The situation was extremely critical when the rebels besieged the capital. Ling Xue operated the improved Zhuge Repeating Crossbow, accurately firing at the rebels. Meanwhile, Zhou Xing led the hunters through a secret passage into the granary, preparing to burn the grain.